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Knocked out of boat, man swims to shore

A 22-year old male was apparently knocked out of his boat earlier this morning in heavy surf and then swam safely to the Block Island shoreline. The incident happened about 11 a.m., according to New Shoreham Police Chief Vin Carlone.

Carlone told The Block Island Times that given the heavy seas he didn’t know how the man was able to make it to shore, but once he did he received medical treatment on the scene. “He was there for quite a while,” said Carlone. The man came to shore near Whale Swamp, which is just north of the Southeast Lighthouse.

Carlone said a 21-foot Boston Whaler, which had three people in it and was out of Pt. Judith, was in 10-to 12-foot waves and anywhere from 50 to 100 yards offshore when “one of the men got knocked out of the boat and swam ashore in giant waves.” He said the police were alerted to the situation because “the other guys came into Old Harbor with their boat and called 911.” — Lars Trodson